Oral Cavity Suction Device

ABSTRACT

A disposable saliva ejector that utilizes a single planar, double leaf shaped plate design that is embossed on their inner faces with a series of arced ribs and folded about its midpoint. A tab and slot arrangement about the center of the plates, joins the two plates. The distal tips are held together by a dovetail arrangement on raised pads at the distal tips of each plate. The distal and proximal tips are also held in operational contact by the suction forces passed through the device. The arced ribs form a series of channels about perimeter of the device. A trough runs along the linear axis of both of the plates to direct any fluid and debris that is sucked into the channels into a connected suction tube. Placement of the saliva ejector within the mouth lies along the interior of the patient&#39;s cheek, keeping the oral cavity clear of viewing obstructions. The discharge end connects to a discharge tube, wrapping around the oral commissure then hooking onto the patient&#39;s outer cheek. Once properly placed within the patient&#39;s mouth the dental assistant is relieved from providing suction during various procedures.

PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS

This patent is a Continuation in Part of pending U.S. Utilityapplication Ser. No. 15/146,567 filed May 4, 2016 Entitled “IMPROVEDORAL CAVITY SUCTION DEVICE” and incorporates it in its entirety hereinby reference. This also claims priority from provisional patent62/263,867 titled the same and filed Dec. 7, 2015.

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates, in general, to an oral cavity suctiondevice, and more particularly to a dental saliva ejection device.

BACKGROUND

Oral cavity suction devices, also known as saliva ejectors are narrowvacuum tubes that dental health professionals employ for removingsaliva, water, and debris during a dental procedure. Often salivaejectors will “sit” in a patient's mouth during a dental procedure inorder to continuously rid the mouth of excess saliva, water, and debristo facilitate uninterrupted work by the dental health professional. Theejector tubes are typically made of a pliable plastic with a metal wireembedded within its wall to allow the tube to be bent to a desired angleand maintain that angle. If the tip of the suction tube contacts thepatient's mouth tissue, it can suck the tissue into contact with the tipof the ejector, thereby rendering the ejector useless, since it is nolonger removing excess saliva, water, and debris, not to mention causinga very uncomfortable sensation for the patient. Due to this fact thedentist preforming the work on the patient must be assisted at alltimes.

A disposable, cost effective, comfortable, and efficient saliva ejectorthat can be managed in a patient's mouth without the need for a dentalassistant, would be a welcome addition to the dental industry. Such adevice is provided by the embodiments set forth below.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In accordance with various embodiments, an improved saliva ejector isprovided.

The saliva ejector of the present invention solves the aforementionedproblems by employing a tapered, ovate shape. The saliva ejector of thepresent invention resides along the left or right-side buccal mucosaallowing for full view of the oral cavity. When the device is positionedalong the buccal mucosa, it alleviates the patient's natural gag reflex,and is out of the way of most dental procedures. Since it has a plethoraof arced passaged formed about the perimeter of the device whenassembled, and is non collapsible, it provides a continual strongsuction field where it is needed, yet does not tug on the patient'sbuccal mucosa and inner cheek. The ejector's slender profile aids inpositioning the saliva ejector within the patient's mouth, resulting ina more effective, gentler and comfortable saliva ejector. When coupledto a suction tube with a “U” bend, the combination may be placedadjacent the outside of the patient's cheek with the remaining tubingrunning back below the patient's ear such that the entire oral cavitysuction system (the saliva ejector, the vacuum and the suction tube) isout of the dentist's way and requires little if any attention.

The patient can easily adjust his bite without the removal of thesuction system, as well as relieve the water/saliva from his mouth bysimply closing his mouth, thereby allowing the dentist or hygienist towork without an assistant constantly providing suction.

The saliva ejector of the present invention also maximizes the patient'scomfort if he has lingual gum sensitivity, temporomandibular joint (TMJ)issues, or mandibular or maxillary tori; these regions are simply notcontacted due to the devices's unique geometry, and its placement withinthe mouth.

The saliva ejector of the present invention allows simplifiedfabrication and assembly of the device. It allows a planar fabricationand assembly about the axial centerline of the device. The processesutilized in fabrication are simplified and the number of fabricationsteps are reduced.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the embodimentsdiscussed without departing from the scope of the invention. Forexample, while the embodiments described above refer to particularfeatures, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments havingdifferent combination of features and embodiments that do not includeall of the above described features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of particularembodiments may be realized by reference to the remaining portions ofthe specification and the drawings, in which like reference numerals areused to refer to similar components.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the unassembled saliva ejector;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the saliva ejector beingassembled;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the assembled saliva ejector;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the unassembled saliva ejector;

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the unassembled saliva ejector;

FIG. 6 a first end view of the unassembled saliva ejector;

FIG. 7 is a left side view of the unassembled saliva ejector;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the unassembled saliva ejector; and

FIG. 9 is a second end view of the unassembled saliva ejector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

Looking at FIG. 1 it can be seen that the saliva ejector 2 is a pair ofsubstantially planar, similar leaf shaped (ovate) plates with theirproximal ends hingedly connected together into a mirror imageconfiguration with a short tube extending normally above and below theplates from a cutout region at the center of the ejector's axialcenterline, where the two plates are conjoined. When assembled, byvirtue of interlocking dovetailed raised pads at the tip of each ovateplate and a central circular tab and slot, the conjoined ovate platesdefine a salvia flow system that allows the evacuation of the salviafrom the device via a suction/vacuum system. (The salavia flow system ismade of a series of flow channels and a central trough.) However, uponcloser examination it can be seen that this device is much morestructurally complex as will be discussed herein.

There is a unique geometry to the saliva ejector 2, which can generallybe described as ovate (i.e., having a wider base than apex and referredto herein also as a leaf shape), such that each plate has two distinctregions, its body 1, and its front lobe 3 (FIG. 8). Combined, theseregions are referred to as leaf shaped plates. Each plate is a flexible,generally planar member that is constructed from a medical grade polymerof uniform thickness.

The saliva ejector 2 is made of a first leaf shaped inner plate 4 and aslightly larger, second leaf shaped cheek plate 6. (As denoted, in use,the inner plate 4 faces the patient's mouth's midline and the cheekplate 6 faces the patient's cheek.) The peripheral edges 16 of these twoplates trace an identical outline however, these two plates are notidentically dimensioned. (In the alternate embodiment, the two platesare identically dimensioned.) In the preferred embodiment, the second,cheek plate 6 is dimensioned so as to be approximately 2 mm largermeasured along any line drawn across the device 2. Simply stated, theperimeter edge of the second cheek plate 6 extends approximately 1 mmbeyond the perimeter edge of the first inner plate 4.

The plates each are adorned on their interior faces 8 and 10 (FIG. 4)with a series of raised, arced ribs 12 that extend normally therefrom.(As used herein, the term rib refers to any raised projection orembossing extending from the inner faces of the plates.) At the distalends of each plate there is a raised pad first raised pad 11 on thefirst plate 4 has a raised dovetail tab 15 formed thereon that matinglyconforms to the dovetail slot 14 formed in the second raised pad 13 onthe second plate 6. The alignment and mating of these dovetail elementshelps keep the two plates 4 and 6 connected at their tip when folded andassembled. In alternate embodiments there may be at least one furtherslot cut along the second raised pad 13 on the second plate 6 so as toallow for pooled saliva to be drawn from the foremost tip of the device2 when inserted into a patient's mouth.

It is known that in alternate embodiments other mechanical or chemicalmeans for connecting the tabs may be employed such as gluing, welding,pinning, crimping, slot and tab configurations and the like, which arewell known in the field.

Each of the ribs 12 are the same height and width. The top face of theraised pads (excluding the dovetail tab 15) extend approximately onlyone half of the height from the interior face of the plates that theribs 12 do. The raised pads serve to define the depth and width of thefirst channel and keep the tip from collapsing upon itself when suctionis applied to the device.

Along the linear centerline of each plate is formed an identical trough18. The troughs 18 are open tapered grooves on the interior faces (FIGS.1, 2 and 4) that have a raised ridge 20 on the exterior faces 32 and 34(FIGS. 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9). The taper in the grooves begin at theproximal ends of the plates and extend along the linear centerline butterminate before the raised pads at the distil ends of each plate. Thetroughs taper in both width and depth, diminishing in these dimensionsfrom the proximal end toward the distal ends. The proximal ends of eachplate have a cutout 22 centered about the linear centerline of theplate.

The proximal ends of the two leaf shaped plates are hingedly conjoinedtogether on a pair of triangular gusset supports 24 (FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8and 9) that extend from opposite sides of the circular connection tube26, 180 degrees apart. The gusset supports 24 extend perpendicularlyfrom the axial centerline of the void formed by the joined cutouts 22.Stated otherwise, the gusset supports 24 are formed along the distal endof each of the plates. This is also the axial centerline of theunassembled device. The plane of each of the gusset supports 24 residesperpendicular to the plane of the plates when in the unassembled salivaejector 2. When the device is assembled, their planes lie parallel butnot collinear with each other and the linear axes of the two plates lieparallel in all three planes. The thickness of the gusset supports 24approximates the height of the ribs. The plates are attached to oppositesides of the gusset supports 24.

There is a suction orifice 50 formed through the first cheek plate 4(adjacent to the raised pad 14 at the distal end of the plate as isillustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8. This suction orifice 50 coincideswith the end of the trough 18 formed on that plate. When the salivaejector 2 is connected to a suction device and placed properly along thebuccal mucosa within the patient's mouth, the inner face of the firstcheek plate 4 of the saliva ejector 2 will face toward the midline ofthe patient's mouth. In this way there will always be suction at theproximal end of the device, either through the suction orifice 50 or theslot 52 in the pad 14 on the second cheek plate 6. This is important, asthe tip of the distal end of the device is the point where saliva poolsin the patient's mouth.

A vacuum connection end 28 extends from the exterior end of the circularconnection tube 26 and a tapered saliva inlet end 30 extends from itsinterior end when the device 2 is assembled. The vacuum connection end28 is dimensioned for frictional connection to a suction tube which isoperationally connected to a vacuum system. In combination with thesaliva ejector 2, these elements form a saliva ejection system.

Centered in the open tapered groove of the trough 18 on the first plate4 is a circular tab 36 that is matingly conformed for frictionalretention in a circular slot 38 that is formed in the open taperedgroove 18 on the second plate 6. These along with the dovetail elementson the first and second tabs 11 and 13, are engaged for assembly of thedevice 2.

When the saliva ejector 2 is assembled (FIG. 2) the cheek plate 6overlaps the inner plate 4 about its peripheral edges. The saliva inletend 30 of the connection tube 26 lies inside partially within thecutouts 22 and partially within the tapered groove between the innerfaces of the first and second plates. The vacuum connection end 28extends from the linear centerline of the proximal end of the device.The saliva end matingly conforms for a frictional fit within the opentapered groove. Since the connection tube and the two plates are allmade of a flexible polymer, when a suction is applied to the device,these components are drawn together within closer tolerances.

The ribs 12 are arced from the peripheral edge of their respectiveplates toward the open tapered trough 18 on the interior faces of theplates. The arced ribs 12 do not lie in the same pattern on the twodifferent plates. Rather, the ribs of the two plates lie in symbioticpatterns such that, when the device is assembled and the two plates arefolded inward, about the gusset supports 24 (with their inner facestoward each other) so as to reside in a spaced parallel orientation(FIG. 3), a series of adjacent, arced flow channels 42 are formedleading from the peripheral edge 16 of the device to the trough 18.These arced channels 42 are approximately equally spaced about theperipheral edge 40 of the assembled saliva ejector 2, (as are the ribends 44). Thus, the two plates 4 and 6 in the body of the saliva ejector2 are supported from collapse (their interior faces being drawn intocontact with each other by the vacuum) by the height of the ribs. Thedistil ends of the saliva ejector 2 are prevented from collapse by theraised pads 14. This ensures that the device will always be able to drawsaliva and debris from the channels into the trough 18 and out theconnection tube 26.

One of the remarkable features of the physical structure of the salivaejector 2 is that lends itself to simple, economical production. Theentire device is made by injection molding of a flexible dental gradepolymer. Since it lays flat prior to assembly the saliva ejector 2 canbe stacked for mass shipping.

The device 2 is designed to lie between the buccal regions of the oralcavity and the inner cheek, so as to not rely on teeth for support. TheU shaped discharge section of the suction tube curves around the oralcommissure and then along the outside of the cheek. The placement of thesaliva ejector 2 is key to its function, since saliva pools in the lowerregions of the oral cavity toward the throat. When properly placedwithin a patient's mount, saliva ejector effectively removes the pooledsaliva while not impeding the dentist's work. Once placed, salivaejector is comfortable for the patient and does not need constantmonitoring from a dental assistant. The different outer dimensions ofthe two plates prevent the patient's cheek from being suctioning intocontact with the channels. The suction tube is connected to a suctiondevice and once the suction device is turned on a diffuse yet effectivesuction field is created.

No matter how the teeth are aligned or shaped, or even if the patienthas mising teeth, the saliva ejector 2 will be fully supported and stillfunction properly.

When the saliva ejector 2 connected to a saliva ejection system, and isinserted into the patient's mouth alongside their inner cheek, when thevacuum is initiated, the saliva and debris from the patient's mouth issucked in from the peripheral edge 16 of the device 2 through the arcedchannels 42, into the trough 18, through the connection tube 26 and intothe remainder of the saliva ejection system. Since the larger of the twoplates, the first (inner) cheek plate 6 lies against the patent's check,there is a step down in the periphery edges of the plates and the vacuumcreated will not draw the patient's cheeks into contact with theperipheral edge of the saliva ejector and across the channels so as toblock the flow of saliva.

Although not illustrated herein, the suction tube that the vacuumconnection end of the of the connection tube 26 connects to is hollow,has a proximate end, a distal end, and is generally “U” shaped. Thesuction tube can be reusable or disposable. It is through this tube thatsaliva ejector 2 is connected to a suction device (well known in thefield of dentistry and not shown), and through which saliva, water, andother debris are removed from the mouth of a patient.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon whichthis disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for thedesigning of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out theseveral purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore,that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructionsinsofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

I claim:
 1. A saliva ejector comprising: a first and second generallyplanar plates having distil ends, proximal ends, an inner face, an outerface, and identically shaped, perimeter edges; a suction connection tubedisposed between said plates and residing adjacent to said proximalends, said connection tube having a vacuum connection end and a salivainlet end; a series of embossings formed thereon said inner faces so asto form a series of saliva flow channels between said plates when saidplanar plates are conjoined and positioned in a spaced, parallel, mirrorimaged configuration.
 2. The saliva ejector of claim 1 wherein saidplanar plates are hingedly connected.
 3. The saliva ejector of claim 1further comprising a hinge operatively connected between said proximalends of said plates.
 4. The saliva ejector of claim 2 wherein saidplates are ovate shaped.
 5. The saliva ejector of claim 1 furthercomprising: a first raised pad extending from the distal end of saidfirst plate said first pad having an engageable trough formed thereon;and a second raised pad extending from the distal end of said secondplate, said second pad having an engageable tab formed thereon, saidengageable tab configured for engagement with said engageable trough. 6.The saliva ejector of claim 5 wherein said engageable tab and saidengageable trough have a dovetail configuration.
 7. The saliva ejectorof claim 5 further comprising an open trough formed thereon said innerfaces, said trough sized for frictional engagement with said salivainlet end of said suction connection tube in said assembled salivaejector.
 8. The saliva ejector of claim 7 wherein said embossingsinclude a series of curved ribs, said ribs extending a first heightabove said inner faces of said plates.
 9. The saliva ejector of claim 8wherein said curved ribs extend between said open trough and saidperimeter edges.
 10. The saliva ejector of claim 9 wherein a series ofsaliva flow channels are formed between adjacent ribs in said assembledsaliva ejector, said channels residing between said open trough and saidperimeter edges.
 11. The saliva ejector of claim 1 wherein assembled,said plates are held in a spaced parallel configuration with saidembossings there between.
 12. A saliva ejector comprising: a first leafshaped inner plate and a second leaf shaped cheek plate, each havingdistil ends, proximal ends, an inner face and an outer face, andidentically shaped perimeter edges; a suction connection tube with apair of gusset plates extending normally from opposite sides of saidconnection tube, said connection tube having a vacuum connection end anda saliva inlet end, wherein said proximal ends of said first leaf shapedplate is hingedly affixed to a first side of said gusset plates and saidsecond leaf shaped plate is hingedly affixed to a second side of saidgusset plates; a pattern of raised ribs formed thereon said inner faces,wherein said pattern of ribs on said first leaf and said pattern ofembossings on said second leaf are not identical patterns; a grooveformed along a linear centerline of said plates, said groove dimensionedto accept said said saliva inlet end of said connection tube; a firstpad formed on said first plate having a having an engageable troughformed thereon configured for mating engagement with an engageable tabformed on said second plate; wherein said saliva ejector may beassembled by folding said first plate and said second plate about saidgusset plates to place said plates into a parallel, spaced configurationwherein a series of open channels are formed between adjacent ribs, saidchannels equally spaced about said perimeter edge.
 13. The salivaejector of claim 12 wherein said first leaf shaped plate is smaller thansaid second leaf shaped plate.